Stamp box



Feb. 25, 1941. H, z, HEN 2,232,939

' STAMP 0X Filed June 16, 1939 9 S INVENTOR I 3 Harrgj Z hen lg u I Hi5 ORNpEY Patented Feb. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAMP BOX Application June 16, 1939, Serial No. 279,420

3 Claims. (Cl. 129-43) My present invention relates to boxes for stamps and like articles.

It is desirable for the reception and security of stamps and other articles to provide separate compartments for the respective denominations wherein the same are maintained isolated from one another and to provide readily visible indicia for designating the respective compartments.

Preferred embodimentsof my invention comlt) prise a tray in which are hingedly or otherwise movably mounted panel members mutually spaced relatively to one another to provide clearances therebetween serving as compartments for the reception and isolation of the stamps or other 15 articles. The panel members are suitably supported when in depressed position, each panel member being provided with a face portion adapted to bear indicia designating the respective denominations or other distinctive characteristics 20 of stamps or like articles, which face portions extend substantially vertical when the panel members are in depressed position, thus presenting such indicia to ready visibility as viewed from the front of the tray. Such arrangement of 5 vertically extending face portions affords ready means for grasping any one or more of the panel members to facilitate elevating the same to gain access Within its compartment. The panel members are arranged whereby such vertically extend- 30 ing face portions when grasped as a group afford elevation to an angle less than the vertical, whereby upon mere release of such group of panel members, the same return to depressed position.

Preferred embodiments of my invention provide 35 for angular bends extending transversely of the panel members; the bend in the foremost panel member serves to limit the extent of elevation of the foremost of such panel member to an angular position relative to the bottom of the tray less than the vertical, whereby upon release of the foremost panel member, the same returns to its depressed position. If desired, the angular bends in the panel members may be arranged of progressively lesser and lesser angular value ofthe panel members in the direction from the front of the tray toward the rear, to effect enhanced compactness of the panel members when in depressed position.

50 Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detail description and the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View illustrating a pre- 55 ferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, the cover being removed.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, of another em- "5 bodiment applicable to a stamp box or the like embodying my invention.

Referring to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the stamp box comprises a tray In, for which a suitable cover II is 19 provided, as by hinging the cover to the upper margin of the rear wall I Go of the tray, the hinges being indicated at l2. The cover Il may be provided with a key or other controlled lock l3, the bolt member of which may be attached to the 5 cover I I and the keeper member l3a appropriately attached to the front wall Iflb of the tray I0.

Preferably, a partition I4 is provided in the tray.

To afford separate compartments for the re- 20 ception and isolation of stamps of the respective denominations, or like articles, I provide movable panel members 15 which are mutually spaced from one another as by hinging the panel members at their respective bottom edges, as indi- 125 cated at IE. The panel members [5 are each provided at their upper, i. e., free ends With a face portion l'l, adapted to bear suitable indications designating the respective denominations of stamps or other article indicia; if preferred, a windowed index device for receiving a tab bearing such stamp denomination or article indicium may be attached to each face portion [1. The face portions I! are arranged to extend substantially vertically when the panel members I5 are in depressed position, to afford clear visibility when viewed from the front of the tray.

The panel members l5 are correlated with respect to one another, to lie compactly when in depressed position, while providing clearances between successive panels to form separate compartments for the reception of stamps or like articles but insuring complete isolation of each compartment with respect to its neighboring compartment.

Desirably, the body portions of the panel members I 5 are provided with a bend extending transversely of the member, the-bends increasing in angular magnitude in the direction from rearward to forward of the tray, the rearmost panel l5a, if preferred, being substantially planar, the next panel l5b having a relatively slight bend as indicated at l5b', the next panel lEc having a relatively greater bend as indicated at I, and

iii)

so forth, that is, the bends I5d', l5e', I51, I59, I5h, being of progressively greater angle.

By the provision of the face portion II, a group of any selected number of the panel members may be grasped and readily elevated to a height to afford ready access to the compartment thus uncovered, as appears from Fig. L with respect to the group designated I5L of the left-hand series of panel members. However, the extent of elevation islimited by interengagement of the portions I! to less than full vertical position, to

effect automatic return of the elevated panel members to compact position upon mere release of the theretofore elevated group of panel members.

The bend 15h of the foremost panel member 15h limits, by contact with the front wall lllb of the tray, the extent of elevation of such panel member, namely less than the vertical, to effect its return to depressed position upon mere man- .ual release of such foremost panel member. The

bend of such foremost panel member operates also as a limit of the extent of elevation less than the vertical of any group of panel members; which includes the foremost panel member.

To provide optimum cubical content for the respective compartments and to position the face portions l1 substantially vertical when the panel members 15 are in depressed position, I provide the filler member l8 at the rear of the tray, the upper element 18a of which is set at an appropriate angle relative to the bottom of the tray.

Fig. 4 illustrates another form of the panel member I532, a set of which may be employed in a box for stamps or like articles, embodying my invention, each panel member 15x conforming to the panel members l5a--l5h, referred to above, but embodying lateral flanges l5y, I511, cooperating with the flange face portion. IT, to effect a tray-like formation for each such panel member I550.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a box for stamps of variant denominations and like articles, the combination of a tray, panel members pivotally mounted on a common support within the tray in mutually overlapping relation, means for supporting the panel members when in depressed position to provide clearances between the respective panel members affording compartments therebetwen for the reception and isolation of their respective contents, the body portion of the foremost of said panel members being provided with a transversely extending bend to limit the elevation of such foremost panel member by contact with a fixed part of the box to an extent less than the vertical, each panel member being provided at its upper end with a projection which extends substanpanel members pivotally mounted on the bottom of the tray in mutually overlapping relation, means for supporting the panel members when in depressed position to provide clearances bev tween the respective panel members affording compartments therebetween for the reception and isolation of their respective contents, the body portion of the foremost of said panel members being provided with a transversely extending bend to limit the elevation of such foremost panel member by contact with a fixed part of the tray to an extent less than the vertical, each panel member being provided at its upper end with a projection which extends substantially vertical when the panels are in depressed position, the front faces of such projections being adapted to bear indicia, said projections functioning when a group of successive panels are grasped to elevate such group of panel members to an angular position relative to the bottom of the tray less than the vertical, whereby upon release of such group of panel members they will return to depressed position.

3'. In a box for stamps of variant denominations and like articles, the combination of a tray, panel members pivotally mounted on the bottom of the tray in mutually overlapping relation, means for supporting the panel members when in depressed position to provide clearances between the respective panel members afiording compartments therebetween for the reception and isolation of their respective contents, the body portion of the foremost of said panel members being provided with a transversely extending bend to limit the elevation of such foremost panel member by contact with a fixed part of the tray to an extent less than the vertical, the succeeding panel members being respectively provided with transversely extending bends of gradually decreasing angles, each panel member being provided at its upper end with a fixed projection which extends substantially vertical when the panels are in depressed position, the front faces of such projections being adapted to bear indicia, said projections functioning when a group of successive panels are grasped to elevate such group of panel members to an angular position relative to the bottom of the tray less than the vertical, whereby upon release of such group of panel members they will return to depressed position.

HARRY Z. COHEN. 

